Mercury Rising
by Secret Ninja Plushie
Summary: Sometimes actions speak louder than words. Laura/Cessily fic, Takes place after Mercury Falling. Warning for Femslash, mild language, and a bit of spoilery- But not much .
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Mercury Rising

**Summary:**Laura/Cessily OneShot fic, Takes place after Mercury Falling; after the scene in which Laura comforts Cessily as best she can as the silver girl hugs her 'round the middle. Sometimes actions speak louder than words. Warning for Femslash and a bit of spoilery. Don't like it don't read it. Both points of view.

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Laura, Cessily, or any of the marvel-verse, not even the smallest pie slice of it. So this is just a bit of fun I'm having with borrowed characters/places/events.

**Author Notes:**So this is my first X-Men fic (Okay, technically New X-Men), I'd appreciate it if a bit of leniency was given to me in your harsh critiques. I may not be a hard-core comic collector, but I certainly love my X-Men just as much as the rest of you, so please, please, PLEASE don't give me any crap about being non-cannon or something. I don't have enough time or money to get every comic out there! Also, on a lighter note, I didn't see any pairings like this, so I hope it's a little refreshing for you guys! On to the story!

* * *

It was awkward. Cessily clung to my midsection, crying, and I tried to remember what the appropriate response was. It took awhile to place my hand on her shoulder and tell her the obvious, "I know." I knew a lot more than that. She had only been in that facility a short time before Julian and I had rescued her. I had been in one just like it for most of my young life. Looking back now, I should have told her how lucky she was that she had a friend like Julian, and the X-Men, to save her.

I sat down next to her, and she shifted to put her head on my shoulder, her arms still tightly wrapped around me. I wished I had more experience with these things, I felt like I was being too cold, like I wasn't being comforting enough. Weapons aren't taught how to feel though. I tried to embrace her back, to hold her like I always saw in the cheesy, boring movies where the guy and the girl both realize that they've made a horrible mistake and come back to each other.

I never liked those movies.

Still, it seemed to make Cessily feel better. She soon stopped crying and we sat, holding each other, a shuddering exhale of breath racking her body every now and then. We were both alone with our thoughts, well, Cessily might have been thinking about things, but I took the time to memorize the moment. Filing it away for future reference- comforting a friend, how to. And I also found myself taking in other things as well, the way Cessily's hair smelled, how her metallic-looking skin was smooth, but not necessarily cold to the touch, how even her pupil and color-less eyes could still be full of expression.

"What's wrong, Laura?" she asked, I hadn't realized we had stopped the embrace, "You looked far away for a minute there..."

"Thinking," I supplied, which was not a complete lie anyway, "You are a good friend, Cessily." I added the last bit without thinking.

"Thanks, Laura," Cessily's voice cracked and it looked like she would start crying again.

"Don't cry," I insisted, putting my hand on hers and hoping this was the right action to do, "It hurts when you cry." Again I said this without thinking-Mental note #227, say nothing unless thinking properly.

"What hurts?" the expressively blank eyes tried to search mine for the answer even I didn't know, she repeated the question, voice barely above a whisper. I would have heard it anyway.

"I don't know," That was the truth, I tried to think about what I had said, it was absurd. Nothing physically hurt when she cried, it wasn't like she had acid for tears. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, I'd gotten into the mess without thinking and I would get out of it by doing the same. I seemed to have a lot of the answers when I just blurted them out anyway. Eyes still closed I lifed her hand to my chest and laid it there, "It hurts here when you cry." I said finally. There was no reply, Cessily's hand stayed very still over my heart, if it wasn't for the fact that I could hear her breathing I would have thought she had just disappeared. I did not open my eyes, I was afraid- irrationally- of looking into her face.

Fear is not something I feel easily. I've grown too soft, maybe.

"You... don't like Julian?" the question was timid, and it made me open my eyes to see that Cessily was looking down, not meeting my gaze. I did notice she hadn't taken her hand away though.

"I... don't know..." not a lie, but not really a truth either. Being human is alot more complicated than being a weapon.

* * *

_This is wrong..._ I thought to myself as my hand rested just above Laura's breast, over her steadily-beating heart _She likes Julian, I'm a girl, it's wrong! _It never hurt to ask questions though, "You... don't like Julian?" wrong way to phrase a question. I looked away from Laura's face before she could open her eyes, I looked instead at my crossed legs.

"I... don't know..." I hadn't expected that, I'd felt sure she liked Julian just a few days ago. That's why we went to get coffee, where I'd be taken away... My eyes stung at the memory. _But she came_ back _for me! _I told myself, forcing the tears back, _She went looking for me, and it can't be so wrong. After all, I'm wrong, I'm not meant to be this way and I am..._

"What are you thinking about?" Laura asked, making me jump and my hand slide off her chest. I tucked it into my lap, still avoiding her eyes.

"Nothing important," I lied, knowing she wouldn't buy it. Having extra sensitive hearing, smell and other such senses usually helped that kind of thing. But she didn't press it further.

"You look like something is bothering you, Do you wish me to leave?" And then she actually did start to get up, and I reached out and grabbed her wrist. I could feel her instantly tense as a reflex. I almost thought it was because she was uncomfortable being here, but I forced myself to think otherwise, that it was because of her past in the Weapon X facility.

"Stay," I pleaded, remembering my manners a little late, I added, "please?" Laura consented and sat back down with me, seeming to study me with her dark eyes. Nothing out of the ordinary, Laura always stared at people, that was what she was trained to do. But it made me nervouse they way she did it now, like maybe she was actually seeing something more. I shivered.

"Why do you keep yourself from being happy?" such a blunt question, and totally catching me off guard.

"What do you mean?" I spluttered, if I could blush I might have been, "I... don't understand the question."

"Why don't you let yourself be happy?" She re-phrased the question, "Do you punish yourself for what you are?"

I didn't know what to say to that, it was like she had pulled that out of my head like Miss Frost. And it was true. What right did I have to be happy when I was a living reminder to myself how I screwed up my parents' lives. If I was only a little better in some area of my life, maybe I wouldn't be the way I was now, maybe my daddy would still love me. I was _wrong, _a _mistake_, a _blemish_.

"Cessily?" Laura began quietly, reaching out- to touch my face?- but flinching back as if afraid, "Are you upset? Should I not have brought this up?"

I realized I was crying again, was that why she had reached for my face?, "I'm not upset..." I sniffed, scrubbing my eyes with the back of my hand, "You're just not that far off the mark is all."

"You feel badly that you are a mutant." It was a statement, not a question, and quickly followed with, "You should not be ashamed for something that was not your fault."

"You don't get it, Laura," I started, a little anger seeping into my voice at my impatience, "I used to be beautiful, popular, a cheerleader... loved..." my voice, which had grown a little louder with every word I said, suddenly dropped below a whisper as I said the last one. There was no doubt that Laura had heard what I said, because this time her hand touched my cheek, the pad of her thumb brushing another tear away from my cheek.

"You are loved, Cessily." I think my heart gave me away, all the thudding it was doing in my chest. Could Laura hear that? Possibly she could because she got a little closer to me, "I think you are beautiful this way." her other hand came up to touch my other cheek so that she was holding my face. It was a nice feeling, warmth seemed to radiate off of her hands and into my face. He face seemed to get closer as the seconds ticked by slowly. _So slowly. _It seemed like ages had past before our lips pressed together. My heard pounded so hard against my chest I was sure Laura could feel it- When did our bodies get so close? my hands in her hair, hers on my lower back. The kiss intensified, Laura's tongue playfully wrestling mine as our hands wandered. I blocked out the small, nagging voice in my head that told me this was wrong, that I was wrong, and tried to press even closer to Laura. I think we would've moved on to other things, had not Miss Frost made her presence known with a small clearing of her throat.

* * *

I hate that woman, she is always trying to get me to leave. And most of the time she is right. I hate her.

Cessily jumped back like she had been shocked, seeing who it was she quickly hid her face as much as she could behind her bangs. Frost scrutinized us for a moment, before she glanced out the window behind us. I couldn't help myself and turned to see what she was looking at. Just the exterior of the school. I looked back at her and she looked like she was going to say something, but thought better of it.

"Girls." she said, excusing herself. I looked back at Cessily, but she wouldn't look at me. The moment had been broken.

I hate Frost.

I reached out for her, but thought better and pulled back, I left without a word. I felt empty. Almost aching. Being human is hard.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Eyes to Search Your Soul, Claws to Rip Out Your Heart.**

**Summary: **Laura and Cessily think about what went on in Cessily's bedroom earlier.

**Disclaimer:**I don't own any of the X-Men or Marvel universe. If I did I wouldn't be writing fan fiction.

**Author Note:**Okay, so I couldn't keep it at just a OneShot. I had to write more. But I think I'll make it so that each chapter could stand alone as a OneShot. Of course this one is a bit of a sequel, but you could still start reading here and get the gist of what happened. This one is still set after the Mercury Falling story, and before the next. It's just a very LARGE grey area... Enjoy guys!

* * *

I had to get out of that room. So silly, it was _my_ room, so why should I have to escape it?

_Because everything in there reminds you of what happened._

Such a stupid little nagging voice in the back of my head. I thought I had pushed that away when... Well okay, so I kissed Laura, or she kissed me. I don't remember who started it, I think it was a mutual thing. The voice reminds me that this is wrong, that I am wrong. Screw the voice. I had to get out of that room so badly. I closed the door, perhaps a little rougher than was necessary, and walked- well, okay, stomped- into the rec area. Santo was there. God, It's a good thing I don't ever get red eyes from crying.

"Hey, Cess, how ya feelin'?" he asked, not looking at me for but a second before turning back to the television, which was turned to the Wrestling Federation channel. Guys and their violent T.V. shows... It's so stupid.

"Fine," I lied, sitting on the couch and staring at the screen, not really seeing the program. I still couldn't escape my thoughts, though. Had I initiated the kiss? Was that what Laura had wanted? Did she just go with it because she didn't know how to react? Why did she leave? Did she hate me now?

I sincerely hoped that Laura didn't hate me, she was nice... In her own way, of course, but none the less.

And how did I feel about what we- I- did? Did I like it? Did I do it just because I needed comfort and was reaching out? I tried to think about what I was feeling at the time. Warm, safe... beautiful... loved--

"_Hellooo_?" Santo's voice broke my thoughts into a thousand pieces like a mirror thrown on the ground, "Anyone home, Cess?"

"What?" I snapped at him, a little annoyed to be interrupted.

"I just asked if you wanted to change the channel," he sounded hurt, "are you sure you're okay?"

"I said I was fine," I said, getting up to find somewhere else to think, "Just trying to... forget things." he left me alone then, and I left the rec area, too afraid to go outside, too scared to go back to my room, and definitely staying out of range of any telepaths. Especially Miss Frost.

Oh, god. Miss Frost. I'd at least managed to forget that she was the one who walked in on Laura and I. Why had she come in anyway? She looked like she was going to say something, had she read my thoughts? Did she know what was going through my mind at the time?

What a stupid question. Of _course_ she knew. Now I was debating on weather to ask her what she heard, or to avoid her entirely. I wasn't exactly on good terms with Miss Frost. I had yelled at her on several occasions, and I doubted she would be so forgiving. _But what had she heard in my head?_ Would she tell anyone? She _did _used to be a villain...

Ooh, screw it! I needed to see for myself what she had heard. I needed to see Miss Frost.

* * *

Emotions were never so complicated before. There was pain, and then there was the feeling of a newly healed wound. Now there was pain, but it wouldn't heal. It was the kind of pain that throbbed in my chest, making it harder and harder to breath. It felt almost like suffocation. I tried to focus on breathing, on calming all my muscles and relaxing. Doing this only made my thoughts wander to Cessily.

She hated me in all probability. I sucked in breath through my clenched teeth. Thoughts like that brought more pain. But those were the thoughts that came. I had taken advantage of the moment, I had done something she didn't want. I didn't realize a was growling until Sooraya put a hand on my shoulder.

"Laura?" her eyes showed worry, "Are you well?"

I nodded, this was not a lie, I was in no physical pain. But then what _was_the pain I felt? I think I would rather be shot up the ass than live with this kind of pain. I shook my head to clear it, but it only confused Sooraya.

"I do not understand..." she began, tilting her head to the side in a gestual or quizical nature.

"It is not something you can understand." I stated, getting up and heading for the the door of our dorm room, "Thank you for your concern, Sooraya." I thanked her and then left. Maybe if I found Cessily I could clear this up, apologise to her, hold her again... look into her liquid eyes, always full of expression... I contemplated weather or not to stab myself. I would just heal anyway. And the pain I was used to would be better than this new kind of pain. I searched for a closet, someplace that no one used and wouldn't look for me in. I found the janitorial closet and quickly looked around to make sure no one could see me before slipping inside and closing the door. It was dark, but that didn't matter, I focused on slowly letting my claws out, it was more painful that way. I could feel the hole they made between my knuckles, could feel it getting bigger as the claws slid out. I made sure not to make noise that would give me away, even though I knew no one would find me anyway, and then I laid the blades of my claws against the skin of my arm- Just right above the wrist. I applied a little pressure and felt a little blood form in two neat lines, it wasn't painful enough.

Maybe I should cut off my hand. I'd done that before...

"So violent..." I heard a voice from outside the door and quickly sheathed on claws, eyes focused on the door, "Who is it?"

"Someone hurting." it sounded like the same voice, but it was slightly different? Who was outside the door? I had to check, but how to do so without causeing suspicion as to why I was there?

"Back away from the door, it's coming out."

How did they know that? I tried to run the possibilities in my head, trying to match the voice to a face I might remember.

"It's Mindee, Phoebe, and Celeste." three voices said in unison. the same voice, but three times over. The telepaths. Shit. I opened the door and slowly came out, looking from each one to the other and back again, trying to gauge their reaction. It looked to be one of bemusement.

"Oh, it's the clone." Said one, I couldn't tell.

"She's in pain..." another tapped it's chin thoughtfully.

"But she hasn't had this kind of pain before."

This was getting slightly annoying, "Go away." I stated blankly. trying to keep my mind blank of anything that they could possibly pick up. They all looked at me with that stupid, bemused, expression on their faces- Just like Frost- and then one began to circle me in an almost predatory way while the other two looked on, smirking. I tried to follow her with my head, but I couldn't twist my neck far enough to see behind me.

Then I felt her fingers on my arm, tracing the place where I had just before tried to cut myself, "Hm, she wants to numb the pain..."

"... With physical hurt." one of the others finished, I didn't see who it was, I had squeezed my eyes shut to try and keep patient. I felt the fingers caressing my knuckles and I involuntarily clenched my fist. They all giggled. Such an annoying sound. "Why is she in pain? Why won't she let us see?" I thought of what I didn't want them to see, and then hated myself for falling for that stupid trick. I opened my eyes to see the three of them standing in front of me, looking quizzical. "She likes the Kincaid girl, but she doesn't know if the girl likes her back?"

"no, she thinks that..." they stopped and looked at me again, the amusement was on their faces again, "Well, she has nothing to worry about," I hated how they were talking about me like I wasn't there, "if she was smart she'd go see Miss Frost. The Kincaid girl is with her..."

I shoved past the three girls, reminding myself to ask Logan how he shields his mind.

* * *

"It's none of my business how you live your life, or who you choose to make out with." Miss Frost said cooly over the top of some papers she was filing. Since when did a telepath need to file papers anyway?

"It's just, not..." I began, but I couldn't finish. Miss Frost did for me anyway.

"Not something you want everybody to know." she sighed and looked like she had a headache, "Cessily, I know how to keep a secret."

I sat, twisting my fingers in my lap, and didn't dare to look up at her, or even to breathe.

"Is there something else you want?" she asked, taking the seat across from me in the headmaster's chair and pressing the tips of her fingers together like a steeple.

"I... just wanted to know... what Laura was..." I struggled to find words that didn't make it sound like I was prying, "What she was... thinking?" Miss Frost quirked an eyebrow at me and just looked at me for the longest time. I couldn't tell if she was in my mind or not, so I tried not to think of anything offensive that might make her mad.

Finally she said, "Why don't you just ask her yourself, she's looking for you." I mumbled something like, 'okay' and, 'thank you' and then went out the door. Right as I opened it I ran into Laura.

"L-Laura what are you..." I spotted some dried blood on her arm and hand just then and, without a second thought, reached for it, "What did you-"

"She cut herself," Miss Frost supplied from where she sat, "now, can we please not do this in my office?" I apologised and pulled Laura away, closing the door behind me. I could hear Miss Frost sigh from outside.

"How did you cut yourself?" I asked, studying the dried blood, it was a bit smeared, but there was no mark as to where it had actually happened. Of course, healing factor.

"With my claws." Laura shrugged, not looking me in the eye, with I took as a bad sign.

"You... did this on purpose?" She did hate me. It's all my fault...

"Yes."

"Why? Why did you do that?"

"To stop the pain." That confused me, I looked at Laura, she had her face turned away from me and I gently turned it towards mine with my other hand.

"You hurt yourself to forget your pain? Why were you in pain?" I swallowed hard, probably knowing the answer already.

"Because you hate me." I blinked and looked into Laura's eyes hard for a minute, trying to decipher what she meant.

"I hate you? I don't remember saying that." she shrugged and tried to look away from me but I turned her face towards me again, "I thought that _you_ hated me..." I explained, sadly.

"I don't hate you, Cessily..." Laura put her hand on the one I had holding her face and looked me in the eyes this time. I studied them for a moment. Green, like gemstones, or like pine trees. Hard to believe these eyes had seen more death than most our age, right now they were warm and kind. I imagined they would be hard and cold when she had killed. It made me shiver and break the trance, "Are you okay?" Laura asked, dropping her hand from mine and placing it awkwardly on my shoulder.

"Just thinking," I explained, looking down at her arm one more time before I looked back at her face, "It's nothing."

"What were you thinking about?" she asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"You." I shrugged. Whoops. Had I said that aloud just then? I must have, since the corners of Laura's mouth twitched in a smile. I had to change the topic, "So..." brilliant conversation starter, "We don't hate each other?" I asked.

"No," Laura agreed, smiling fully now.

"We don't blame each other for... anything at all?" I had to make sure.

"No," well, that was a relief.

"So..." Again, with the brilliance, "What are we?" That was a little weir to ask. We're mutants, freaks, new X-men... Any/all of the above would have sufficed for an answer, but the one I got shocked me into silence.

"In love." it was so innocent the way she said it, and I swear she could've ripped my heart out then and there and I couldn't have cared less. She already seemed to have it, anyway.

* * *

**A/N: Well, there ya have it Kiddos! You know what I notice? I seem to make people in my fan fictions cutters... I don't know WHY, it just happens. I promise it won't happen again. In this story anyways... So... could any of you possibly leave feedback? I really does help my writing and such. Plus it's always amusing when I get a notice for it (At least, my family members say so...), as I jump around excitedly. So help a sistah out?**


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